Improvement in top-props for carriages



L. W. BLESSING. Top-Props for Carriages.

No 142,889 Patented Septemberl6,1873.

Wifnmra j? W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS WFBLESSIN G, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND HOWARD PUSEY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN TOP-PROPS FOR CARRIAGES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 142,889, dated September 16, 1873; application filed August 28, 1873.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Lnwrs W. BLESSING, of Wilmington, in the county of New Castle and State of Delaware, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Top-Props for Carriages; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in constructing a top-prop for carriages with a hook or socket, with which it can firmly embrace the bow, so as to enable it the better to resist the tendency of being loosened by the vibrations of the top, and combining with it a concave washer for tightly clamping the leather covering of the top to the base-plate around the post of the prop, some distance from the circumference thereof, the washer being secured by wood-screws passing through holes in it and the base-plate of the prop, into the-wooden bow.

The ordinarymanner of securing the washer is by means of a nut; but this fastening is very defective, as the nut becomes readily unscrewed by the vibrations of the top unless locking devices are employed, which make the fastening expensive. It is nevertheless very important to firmly clamp the leather covering around the holes through which the top-props pass, and to hold it thus to prevent it from tearing at those points.

My method of accomplishing this desirable end is simple and effective, the wood-screws taking such a firm hold in the tough wood of the bow that the vibrations of the top will not affect it.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of my improved top-prop attached to a bow. Flg. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof.

The same letters of reference are used in all the figures in the designation of identical parts.

The post A of the prop extends from the plate A and terminates in a cylindrical partly screw-threaded end, a, for the reception of the brace or braces and the confiningnut to. The plate A is of considerable length to afford a good bearing on the outside of the bow B, to which it is secured by wood-screws, as shown. Directly opposite to the post A the plate has formed upon it either a hook, A as shown in .full lines, or a socket, as indicated by the additional broken lines, in Fig. 3. This hook or socket is adapted to a bow of rectangular form in cross-section, and is made to closely hug the bow at all points, and is also secured to it by wood-screws. post A of the prop passes through a hole cut in the leather covering 0, which is clamped to the plate A by the washer D. The latter is made concavo-convex, so that, its concave side facing the covering, it will press the leather against the plate A with its outer edge only some distance from the edge of the hole therein. The strain upon the covering will thus be sustained at points where its strength is unimpaired. The washer is secured by wood-screws cl, in the manner clearly illustrated in Fig. 1, and for the purpose heretofore stated.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A top-prop for carriages, composed of post A a, plate A and hook or socket A and wrought out of a single piece of metal, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The post and fastening-plate of a topprop for carriages, in combination with the concavo-convex washer D, which is secured by wood-screws d passing into the bow of the top, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 26th day of August, 1873.

LEWIS W. BLESSING.

Witnesses:

WM. W. PRITOHETT, J NO. HENRY PUHL.

The Y 

